Our story

Modern forestry and wood is the sustainable sector of the 21st century: producing a green material while improving the way we use our land. See how today's forests benefit the economy, the environment and our communities.

Martin Bishop, Confor’s Wales Manager, said: “This report is a shot in the arm for the industry, which delivers half a billion pounds of annual value to the Welsh economy. It recognises Wales is missing an enormous range of economic, environmental and community benefits delivered by not planting enough trees - and sets out a clear plan of action to put things right. It is a blueprint for a greener future.

"The first recommendation delivers the central message forestry and timber businesses have been waiting for – more tree planting and especially more commercial tree planting, to provide the raw material to drive the rural economy forward.”

One sawmiller said production could be "doubled or trebled" in Wales if more timber was available. Josh Sambrook-Jones of Clifford Jones Timber Group, a Confor member based in Ruthin, north Wales, said: "We are constantly looking at ways of diversifying so we get the maximum from the timber we bring through the gates, but it is increasingly short supply due to a lack of investment [in tree planting] since the 1990s.

"There is a huge market for our timber and every sawmill in Wales could double or treble production if the timber was there to feed the mills."

Earlier this year, Clifford Jones highlighted that just 100 hectares (250 acres) of new woodland was planted in Wales in 2016 - against a target of 2,000 hectares a year - and warned jobs would be lost unless tree planting increased dramatically.

Martin Bishop added: “Confor has highlighted the fall in woodland creation over the past 20-30 years and the damage this will continue to cause in terms of jobs and investment in rural Wales. In that context, the emphasis on ‘significantly’ increasing planting rates and the mention of long term targets in the report is very welcome.”

The report also says “the potential for growth in the commercial forestry sector should be actively supported by Welsh Government".

Mr Bishop added: “I am delighted the committee has also backed the industry's ambitious targets for Wales to become increasingly self-sufficient in timber production and less reliant on imports – a central plank of the arguments I have put forward to the committee on behalf of Confor. There is also a call to look at building regulations to promote the use of timber in construction, which is very welcome.”

In practical terms, the report calls on the Welsh Government to address the barriers to increasing planting by linking up regulation and funding more effectively and “providing additional guidance and support to applicants”. It also calls for consideration of “a presumption of approval for applications in areas identified by the Woodland Opportunities Map as having a high suitability for woodland.”

Confor also welcomed the report's recognition of the wider benefits of forestry – with a call for the Welsh Government to “specify how it will use trees and woodlands as a nature-based solution to flooding” and to expand the Woodland Carbon Code.

Stuart Goodall, Confor’s Chief Executive, said: “Martin Bishop has been highlighting the planting decline in Wales and fighting for the industry tirelessly for many years. His efforts have been crucially important in delivering this report. The next step is to work with politicians and a range of partners to make it happen – and Confor will be right at the heart of those discussions.”

Iwan Williams, Regional Harvesting Manager for Tilhill Forestry based in Llandderfel, near Bala, said: "We warmly welcome this report. Productive forestry can deliver so much for the Welsh economy, whilst also improving biodiversity and reducing our carbon footprint."